Letter 5: Procopius defends silence as compatible with real friendship, but still asks John to write.

If there were written charges for neglecting friends, and someone dragged me into court on exactly that accusation, saying that I had committed a serious wrong by making no one my friend, I think I could win only by producing you as my witness. Somehow you have now appeared as my accuser instead. What has come from you is so unexpected that some small incident must have made you hesitate about me. I know people who are not friends but strike others constantly with letters when they want to hide what they are doing. I also know friends who keep silent because the memory of absent friends is enough for them while they are occupied with other people. Writing, then, is not by itself proof of goodwill, and silence is not by itself a charge, unless the intention behind either one confirms it. So put that aside and look at the real question: whether anything about you ever lets me forget you; whether I bring you into every conversation and every act of admiration, as though I were adorning myself with your memory; whether, whenever I say "sweet John," I always add the phrase to what I am saying. Consider that, and you will love me silent more than another man speaking, even if he had the bronze of Dodona ringing on his tongue. But do not take this defense as permission to remain silent. If you do, I will say the opposite.

Ἰωάννῃ Εἰ τῆς περὶ φίλους ὀλιγωρίας ἦσαν γραφαί, καί μέ τις εἰσῆγεν εἰς δικαστήριον αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο κατηγορῶν, ὡς ἀδικοίην οὐ μετρίως, ἐν οὐδενὶ φίλον ποιούμενος, οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως ᾤμην τὴν νικῶσαν λαβεῖν ἢ σὲ παρεχόμενος μάρτυρα τὸν νῦν οἶδ' ὅπως ὀφθέντα κατήγορον· οὕτω μοι παρ' ἐλπίδας ἐξέβη τὰ παρὰ σοῦ, εἰ βραχύ τί σε πρᾶγμα διστάζειν ἐπ' ἐμοὶ παρεσκεύασεν. ἐγὼ γὰρ οἶδα καὶ μὴ φίλους πυκνὰ δὴ τοῖς γράμμασι βάλλοντας, ὅταν λανθάνειν ἐθέλωσι, καὶ φίλους σιωπῶντας, ὁπότε τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν ἀπόντων ἀρκούμενοι πρὸς ἑτέρους ἠσχόληνται. οὔκουν οὔτε τὸ γράφειν εὐνοίας, οὔτε τὸ σιωπᾶν ἐγκλήματος, μὴ τῆς γνώμης βεβαιούσης ἑκάτερα. οὐκοῦν ταῦτα παρεὶς ἐκεῖνα δὴ σκόπει, εἰ μηδέν μοι τῶν ὑμετέρων δίδωσι λήθην, εἰ διὰ παντὸς ἄγω λόγου καὶ θαύματος ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῇ μνήμῃ κοσμούμενος, εἰ τὸν Ἰωάννην εἰπὼν τὸν γλυκὺν πάντως τῷ λόγῳ προσέθηκα. ταῦτα σκοπῶν ἀγαπήσεις σιωπῶντα μᾶλλον ἢ φθεγγόμενον ἕτερον, εἰ καὶ τὸ Δωδώνης αὐτῷ χαλκεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης ἠχεῖ. ἀλλ' ὅπως μὴ ταύτην ἀπολογίαν ἔχειν ἡγούμενος σιωπήσῃς· εἰ δὲ μή, τἀναντία φθεγξόμεθα.